PDP Suspends Presidential Campaign Over Onnoghen’s Suspension

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s main opposition party, has suspended its campaign for 72 hours to protest the suspension of Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Naija News reports that President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Onnoghen on Friday, citing an order by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The President said the order demanded that the CJN be suspended depending on the determination of his ongoing trial at the tribunal.

President Buhari had sworn in Tanko Ibrahim Mohammad from Bauchi state as acting chief justice of Nigeria.

In a statement issued by its national chairman, Uche Secondus, the opposition party said it decided to suspend its campaign because democracy is “under attack”.

The statement obtained by Naija News said the “Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council has suspended its presidential campaign in protest of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen,” the statement read.

“The PDP Campaign Council further predicated the suspension of its campaign activities in solidarity with Nigerians in our collective rejection of the assault against our democratic order.”

“The basis for this election is the democracy itself. When democracy comes under this kind of virulent attack, then the election itself becomes superfluous.

“In the first instance, we are suspending our campaign for 72 hours. It is our hope that President Buhari will listen to the voice of all lovers of democracy the world over and restore democracy in Nigeria immediately and without qualifications. At the moment, the President has effectively suspended the constitution under whose basis the elections are being contested.

“The action of President Buhari represents a constitutional breach and a direct attack on our democracy. This must never be allowed to stand, as there is no way by which democracy can survive under these autocratic tendencies.

“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians to rise in defence of democracy and save our nation from this imminent slide into tyranny.”

Naija News understands that the PDP presidential campaign was scheduled to be in Benue state on Saturday (today).